


i've got a blank space, baby (and i'll write your name)

by orphan_account



Series: it's kinda hard not to like, get fucking cheesy on this shit but, does that even matter? [1]
Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: Fluff, M/M, Smut, idk why, it's so bad, really bad smut and it only shows up once but smut, they live in jersey
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-11-16
Updated: 2014-11-16
Packaged: 2018-02-25 13:26:32
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 14,305
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2623358
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>“You wash your hair?” Harry asked digging his face into Niall’s hair.<br/>“Yeah.”<br/>“Smells nice.”<br/>“Thanks.”</p><p>--</p><p>Or it's summer, Niall's rich and doesn't have much friends, Harry breaks into his pool and they fall in love.</p>
            </blockquote>





	i've got a blank space, baby (and i'll write your name)

**Author's Note:**

> oh god the smut in this is so bad i like am apologizing because i was cringing when i was reading it like wow it's gross but hopefully you enjoy everything else hahaha and title is from Taylor Swift's song Blank Space because god just watch the video and listen to the song it's amazing man amazing

Harry hated his friends absolutely hated them. It was midnight, he was naked, freezing, and standing in front of some stranger’s pool prepared to jump in. Louis told him that nobody had lived in the house for what seemed like centuries but trusting Louis was like trusting a kleptomaniac with your favorite earrings. Anyways, Harry’s nipples were hard as rocks and he could hear Louis, Liam, and Zayn giggling from behind the fence.

“Jump in, pussy.” Louis hissed and Harry rolled his eyes, he wanted to flip Louis off but he was shivering way too much for that to even be an option. He looked down at the pool water where he could see his reflection due to the moonlight.

He looked back at Louis, Liam, and Zayn hoping they’d changed their minds but when they stared back at him wide eyed and horrible he realized he had to do it. He closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and then jumped. He was submerged in water for half a second where he thought ‘oh fucking shit this water is cold, it’s the beginning of summer why is it so cold’ and then he was resurfacing gasping for breath. He looked towards his friends just in time to see Louis grab his clothes from the hole in the fence and then take off. Fucking evil fuckers.

He sighed and waded around in the water for a little bit, his dick felt like it was shriveling up and his hair was matted on his forehead. He could hear the crickets chirping from their hiding places but besides that it was incredibly quiet, eerily so and he didn’t even know how long he was in there till he heard the back door to the house opening.

Oh fucking shit.

Before he knew it he was launching himself underwater, scared out of his fucking mind. Harry had no clue as to who occupied the house so some crazy with a gun could be living there or maybe some old woman who would call the police because she heard a disturbance. He was so dead, his mom would kill him. He’d just left Phoenix and he wasn’t going to go back, the food was shitty and the people were too. His knuckles still hurt from all the times he had to deck someone in the face and his face throbbed from all the times he was decked in the face.

Harry knew his time was up and he had to resurface when his chest started getting tight from lack of oxygen, he came to the conclusion that he hated Louis, Liam, and Zayn and that if he went down they’d go with him he’d have it arranged. He resurfaced with a gasp and at first thought oh god there’s nobody there till he rubbed chlorinated pool water out of his eye to catch sight of a blond boy standing in front of the door, cigarette in his hand, and smoking it calmly all while staring at Harry like he’d expected it.

Harry stared, the boy stared back. Harry was trying to figure out an excuse how to let the kid know that this whatever he thought it was wasn’t what it looked like but the kid quirked an eyebrow and said,

“Cat got your tongue?” The boy’s voice was rough and gravelly probably from all the cigarettes but it was warm and nice as if he sounded like that when he rolled out of bed first thing in the morning.

“Uhh,” Harry found himself saying after a long while of not saying anything.

“I’m guessing you’re naked?” The boy said it like a question but Harry knew it was a statement.

“Yeah.” He drawled and then the boy cocked his head towards the door,

“Come. I think I got something you can wear.” Harry stared at him suspiciously, didn’t know of anybody who would invite a complete stranger into their house. The boy rolled his eyes, “Remember you broke into my pool so I should probably be suspicious of you.”

“There’s nothing to be suspicious of. I wanted to swim.”

“Yeah that’s it. C’mon.” The boy was already turning the knob of the door like he couldn’t possibly think of a reason why Harry would say no. Observing the house the kid lived in he was probably not used to people saying no to him.

“Wouldn’t I be tracking water into the house?”

“We’ve got a maid for that.” He said nonchalantly like that was an everyday thing, to have a maid. Harry’s older sister would’ve laughed at this kid and his idealistic approach to life but all Harry could do was lug himself out of the pool. His hands immediately found his dick but the boy had already turned around, flicking the cigarette out of his hand, and leaving the back door open. Harry ran in quickly shivering like mad and positive he’d get hypothermia.

The house was warm incredibly so and Harry gasped, the furniture was impeccable like something he would see out of a home catalog his mom usually bought for fun. It didn’t even look lived in it looked simply for show and they had paintings on the wall, ones that Harry knew were expensive and Harry wanted to touch but he simply followed the boy’s footsteps starry eyed staring at everything. The house was full of twisting and turning but then finally he was being led to a bedroom, a large bedroom with two large windows and a large closet and everything was just large.

Harry watched as the blond opened his closet door and went inside to search for something that Harry could wear. The blonde was shorter than him and skinnier and relatively paler like he had never been outside ever but it looked nice on him. Harry was still shivering a little but it was better and his fingers and toes were shriveled up like prunes.

Finally the boy came back and tossed Harry a large UCLA jacket and sweats. Harry stared at him and the boy gave him a look,

“Sorry did you want underwear too?”

Harry snorted out a laugh all while blushing then tugged on the clothes. He was kind of grateful that the boy hadn’t come out with a gun or called the cops or something like that. When Harry was done getting dressed he stood awkwardly in front of the kid not knowing what to do and the boy was doing the same but he didn’t even look one bit awkward, he just looked curious.

“Aren’t you going to tell me your name?” He asked Harry like it was implied that he needed Harry’s name which maybe it kind of was.

“It’s Harry.”

“So… Harry, wanna tell me what you were doing in my pool at,” the boy glanced at the clock mounted on his wall, “twelve forty five?”

Harry chuckled and then gave the kid his most charming smile the one that had all the girls blushing and swooning, “swimming of course.” The boy rolled his eyes,

“Of course. Do you usually go swimming naked?”

“Only when the house owners look like you.”

The boy laughed like Harry had said the funniest thing, “oh my god, you’re ridiculous. Does that actually work on people?”

“Sometimes.” Harry said a bit defensive, his pickup lines were great and girls thought he was funny and sweet and sometimes guys too. But guys were a lot easier he never really needed to chat them up, he’d just smile and do this thing with his eyebrows and then that was it. That’s why he preferred guys over girls sometimes like guys didn’t complicate things but girls oh god girls needed all this reassurance and the gushy stuff and Harry wasn’t good at all the mushy gushy stuff.

“Do people have no standards? That was weak.”

“How’s the weather up there on your horse?”

The boy rolled his eyes (stunningly blue eyes by the way), “So tell me how are you getting home?”

“I’ll hitch a ride, I’ll call someone.”

“With what phone?” And that’s when Harry realized oh shit his phone was in the pocket of his jeans which his friends took. The boy tsked then shook his head, “So was jumping into my pool worth it?”

“Kind of. I get to look at you.” Harry smiled after he said that and the boy continued staring at him looking very unimpressed. “Hey I mean that.”

“Okay. Do you want something to eat?”

“Uhm?”

“My mom always told me when inviting a guest into your house always offer them food… you’re more intruder than guest but still.” The boy had already turned and was walking out of his room and Harry began to follow. His night had took a turn for the interesting… he was in a mansion in Grandire Shores with the prettiest boy he’d ever seen in a while, a pretty boy who was cooler than ice and didn’t seem at all impressed by Harry’s come-ons. A pretty boy with a nice ass too.

“So what’s your name?” Harry asked him as they descended the stairs.

“Uh-uh-uh, you have to work up to that. What fun is there if I just tell you my name?”

“I told you my name.”

“Nobody forced you to.”

“You kind of intimidated me.” Harry replied and then mouth dropping when they passed the dining room, there was a ridiculously large chandelier on the ceiling and Harry could only stare.

“Everybody loves the chandelier. It was a gift from Italy, my dad works over there sometimes.” And then they were in the kitchen which was too large for its own good. The refrigerator was nice and the boy opened it and started rifling through things.

“So what were you doing up so late?” Harry asked him when he came out successful with a handful of apples and grapes and pineapples, ready to make fruit salad Harry was guessing.

“Jet lag.”

“Yeah? Where’d you go?”

“I was in Switzerland for about eleven months.” The boy replied distractedly as he started to cut up some fruit. He was cute, with his ruffled eyebrows and his moles and freckles outlining every bit of his skin and Harry could so tell he wasn’t a natural blonde from his roots but it just made him better looking. He was all soft edges and he had half dimples on his cheeks that Harry couldn’t stop looking at every time he spoke or half smiled.

“For what?” Harry finally asked when he realized he was staring and probably creeping the boy out.

“Boarding school.”

“So like… what language do they speak over there?”

“A mixture of a lot of things but I’m fluent in Italian, French, and German… and English of course. Can you wash these apples for me?” He handed Harry the apples and Harry took them walking over to the sink and doing as he was asked.

“What’s your favorite language?”

“Italian by a long shot. It’s pretty.” Harry handed the boy the apples and he proceeded in chopping.

“Pretty?”

“Yeah… and there was this boy up in Italy.” The boy said and then he blushed a little.

“You love him?” Harry asked curious. Blondie shook his head,

“No but if I had had more time I probably could’ve.” The blonde then looked up at him for the first time since they’d actually gone down to the kitchen. “What about you?”

“What about me?”

“You love anyone? You got a list of girls and boys waiting for you?”

“What do you think?” Harry asked just to flirt. The boy studied him for a little bit then shrugged,

“Probably. I mean you’ve got a lot going for you… and the tattoos are just like icing on the cake. Girls are probably in love with you and the boys… they just like being seen with you.” Blondie was biting his lip and studying his face as if looking for more clues and god Harry was right there was nobody cuter and more endearing than the boy and all he’d done was exist. “So how accurate was I?”

“I don’t know you’d have to ask the girls and the boys.” Harry replied cheekily and the boy rolled his eyes,

“You know I’m right. You’re like a proper heartbreaker… and you look like you get in trouble a lot, no smile is that sweet without an ulterior motive.” The boy then walked over to the cabinet and Harry watched as he stood on his tiptoes just to open them. It was cute and funny so Harry let him jump to get the bowls for a little bit before ambling up behind him, resting a hand on his hip, and then effortlessly grabbing them. The boy turned around so they were facing each other, the boy blushing and Harry grinning, but the boy pressed his hand to Harry’s chest and pushed him back then he took the bowls.

“Thanks.” He grumbled not looking Harry in the eye.

“No problem.”

They stood in silence for a bit as he watched the boy put equal amounts of fruit in the bowls then handed one to Harry and took one for himself. He hopped onto the granite countertop and Harry did the same so that they were sitting side by side, shoulders touching and staring out the kitchen window at the large rose garden that surrounded the boy’s whole place.

“So like… why are you so rich?” Harry asked because there was no eloquent way to put it. Harry and his family were pretty well off but not rich not at all, they lived in an okay neighborhood and he went to a nice public school and he’d never been to Switzerland for eleven months and the only language he knew besides English was shitty Spanish courtesy of Spanish 2 online and Mrs. Ramirez.

“I’m not rich my parents are.”

“What do they do?”

The boy shrugged, “doesn’t matter I just know I get this house all to myself every summer.”

“You’re here every summer?”

“Yeah… I was born here.”

“Whoa do you just not go outside?”

“Not really. And like I don’t really know anybody here at all, I’ve always been somewhere else. A boarding school in Switzerland is more of my home than this place is.”

“Then why don’t you just stay there every summer or go to Italy?”

“This is my vacation.” The boy replied then turned to Harry, “but enough about me… what do you do every summer? Just stay in Jersey getting into neighbor’s pools naked?”

“Pretty much.” Harry said with a small laugh but the boy was still looking at him curiously so Harry was guessing he wanted a real straight up answer. “I kind of just ride around with my friends, go to bonfires, the beach… shoot the shit… cause trouble.”

“Shoot the shit? I’ve never heard that one before.”

“Means to just chill.”

“So me and you we’re shooting the shit.”

“Yeah, man.”

“Cool. How old are you?”

“Seventeen.”

“You are the dancing queen, young and sweet, only seventeen.” The pretty blond crooned then looked at Harry with a smile that kidnapped his whole face and Harry could only stare because god fucking dammit. “I’m seventeen too.” The blonde added on when Harry didn’t say anything.

“So we’re both dancing queens.”

“Yup. Back in Switzerland this boy took me dancing and this song was playing and he had no clue what it was and I thought ‘oh my god how can I ever date a boy who doesn’t listen to Abba’ so I broke up with him right there.”

Harry chuckled, “so is that a deal breaker a boy who doesn’t listen to Abba.”

“Of course.”

“What’s another?”

“I don’t like boys who are mean to their moms, boys who don’t like to travel, boys who don’t like kittens, boys who…” he paused then looked at Harry slyly, “break into my pool.”

Harry threw his head back and laughed, “Are you never going to let me live that down?”

“Nope.”

“So have I earned the privilege of your name yet?”

“On one condition.”

“What’s that?” Harry asked and then the blond hopped off the counter and put his hands on his hips then looked at Harry defiantly,

“Dance with me.”

“Dance with you?”

“As dancing queens it’s our duty to dance.”

“There’s no music.” Harry said staring at the boy with amusement.

“Let’s go.”

“Where?”

“My room. There’s music there.” And then he seized Harry’s hand and tugged him up the stairs, humming Dancing Queen under his breath. His room looked larger the second time seeing it and he watched as Niall grabbed his iPhone (newest generation Harry’s mind supplied) and started flipping through songs. And of course he stopped it at Dancing Queen.

“What’s with you and ABBA?”

“My mom used to love ABBA.” The boy said with an air of finality like Harry couldn’t ask any more questions. When the opening lines started the boy stared at him as if challenging him and then Harry bowed and held out his hand,

“May I have this dance?”

The boy giggled and pressed his soft cool hands atop of Harry’s, “you may.”

It wasn’t very slow but Harry pressed the hand that wasn’t gripping the boy’s to his waist and they began waltzing or what Harry believed was a waltz from middle school P.E classes, moving this way and that. The boy loved it from the look on his face smiling up at Harry like he’d hung the stars and the moon all because he’d danced with him to an ABBA song. When the song finished the boy looked at him then said,

“Niall. My name is Niall.”

Harry smiled at him, “well, Niall thank you for this dance.”

“My pleasure.” He said and then yawned and looked at the time. “I’m getting tired; I’ll probably go to bed soon. Would you like to stay?”

Harry wondered if Niall usually did this invited virtually complete strangers into his home and offered them a place to sleep. Maybe if Niall knew Harry’s pass he’d think twice not that Harry would do anything to Niall or his things but still he was all sorts of naïve and wise at the same time like he’d learned some things but everything else someone hadn’t even bothered teaching them to him.

“No, I think I’ll go home.”

“Is your house far?”

Harry shrugged, “nothing I can’t handle.”

Niall fixed him with a steely cool look but then shrugged, “Okay suit yourself… you can leave through the back.”

“Alright. Goodnight, Niall.” Harry said moving towards the door as Niall situated himself in bed.

“Goodbye, Harry.” He replied. “Turn off the lights before you leave will ya?”

\--

Harry was woken up to a large body knocking the wind out of him. He groaned and pushed Louis off and rubbed his head, it was pounding probably from the lack of sleep. Louis was grinning down at him. “Man, who let you in my house?” Harry asked.

“Your sister! So, how’d you get home last night?” Louis asked dropping his clothes on his face.

“I walked, asshole.”

“Naked?”

“Nah.”

Louis blinked at him and he blinked at Louis. He didn’t even know if he wanted to tell Louis about Niall and the night because now in broad daylight it didn’t even seem real, Niall seemed more like a product of his overactive imagination than an actual person and with Harry anything was possible.

“So?”

“So what?”

“How’d you get clothes?”

“From the house.”

“The house? The mansion?”

“Yeah.”

“You broke into a mansion?”

“The person who lives there let me in.”

Louis scoffed, “bullshit.”

“Scouts honor.”

“You weren’t even a boy scout.”

“Whatever I’m still not lying.”

“Was it a chick? Was she hot?”

“It was a dude,” Harry said with a yawn thinking of Niall’s pale skin and sunshine blonde hair and rosy cheeks and his mischievous impish smile, “and he was plenty cute.”

“You fucked him?”

Harry groaned, “no, Louis! He was practically a stranger… he just lent me some clothes and I left.” It wasn’t a lie he was just omitting the truth, Louis didn’t need to know everything that went on his life and with who.

“I didn’t even think anybody lived in that house.”

“You’re telling me? You fucking assholes left me out to dry.”

“It was Zayn’s idea.” Harry fixed him with a look and Louis laughed, “Okay maybe it was my idea but they were along for the ride.”

“I know. Fucking traitors… he saw my dick, man.”

“Good thing you’re a shower and not a grower.”

“Fuck you.”

“Hey, I’m just saying would’ve been proper embarrassing if your dick was the size of a peanut.”

“Your dick’s the size of a peanut.” Harry grumbled and Louis laughed,

“Ooh how original of you. Anyways there’s a bonfire happening tomorrow night at El’s beach house, she invited her cousin.”

“Her cousin?”

“Yeah, name’s Taylor. El said you’d like her.”

“Eleanor doesn’t know what kind of girls I like.”

“Pretty ones.” Harry rolled his eyes. “And Taylor’s a pretty girl so there.”

“What am I going to do with Taylor?”

Louis rolled his eyes, “show her your Yu-Gi-Oh trading card collection. Don’t be hopeless; I’ll see you this afternoon at Liam’s.”

“Tell him to pick me up.”

“If I remember.” Louis replied then slammed the door shut after himself. Harry rolled his eyes at his shitty fucking best friend waking him up at ass o’clock. He collapsed onto the bed and fell asleep again.

\--

When Harry woke up it was ten and he was still in Niall’s clothes. The thought of seeing Niall again in broad daylight made him a little nervous because things that happened in the PM didn’t usually carry over to the AM and he didn’t even know Niall much, just knew he was crazy rich and crazy beautiful like he stepped out of a movie in his rumpled hair and pajama bottoms and white tee shirt singing ABBA like a dork but a gorgeous dork.

Harry hopped into the shower and then went downstairs only to find a note from both Gemma and his mom saying they were out even though they were always out. Harry didn’t mind though, that just meant less people around to tell him what to do. He hated being told what to do.

He did his morning run like he did every morning, twice around the block and then he came back home and drank some water. He then checked his social media and realized everybody was talking about Eleanor’s bonfire which meant everybody was going to be there. He thought about Niall locked up in that big old house because he knew nobody and was basically nobody and Harry knew he was going to ask him to come he had to.

He got the clothes and then he walked out of his house preparing what he was going to say to Niall in his head. It was a pretty long walk when Harry thought about it but he didn’t really mind and in the morning, the house with its gates and everything looked pretty intimidating. Harry thought about going through the back like Louis had showed them but he didn’t want to weird Niall out.

There was a keypad and he had to press it several times before Niall’s gravelly voice came through the static, “who is it?”

“It’s Harry. With your clothes.”

“Oh.” He said and then nothing. Harry was nervous because Niall was an actual real person not some person Harry made up through his sleep-deprived haze. Suddenly the large gates were opening inwards allowing Harry to step in. He could see Niall standing on the front steps looking confused and sleepy; he was still wearing his pajamas from a couple hours ago.

“What’re you doing here?” Was the first thing he said when Harry got close enough to hear him.

“Bringing back your clothes.” Harry said shoving them in his hand. Niall looked from the clothes to Harry’s face,

“Uhm… okay? You didn’t have to. If you didn’t notice I’m kind of filthy rich.”

“I know but… I did kind of want to see you again. For real this time.”

“Was the other time not for real?” Niall asked looking him up and down, beautiful and intimidating all the same.

“It was but… you were sleep deprived and I don’t know I just-,”

“Come in then. Stop rambling on my doorstep.” Niall left the door open and went in reminding Harry of him leaving the backdoor open when he found Harry in his pool. Niall’s house looked better in the daytime, more vibrant and sunny and a little more alive but not by much.

“Do you want breakfast?” Niall asked turning and staring at him. His eyes were blue like a swimming pool, Harry thought about Niall’s blue eyes contrasting to his natural dark hair. It would probably look amazing.

“No, I’m good.”

Niall set the clothes down on the arm of the couch then sat down and patted the spot next to him. “Sit.” Harry sat and Niall folded his hand behind his head and looked at Harry. “So?”

“So.”

“You need something?”

“I want to invite you to something.”

“Oh?”

“Yeah.”

“What is it?”

“Bonfire, my friend Eleanor is throwing it.”

“I know Eleanor.”

“You do?” Harry asked perplexed and Niall nodded.

“Her mom and my mom used to be friends before her mom became a bitch.”

“Oh.”

“Yeah.”

“So?”

“I’ll go. I have got nothing better to do than sit here, jerk off, and stare at my own reflection.” Niall sighed long-sufferingly and Harry could only stare at him like a creeper. His neck was so pale that Harry couldn’t help but to think of it littered with hickies put there by him and him only and Niall’s lips… god he was so fucking irresistible. Niall then turned back and looked Harry in the eye. “You’ve got to stop doing that.”

“What?”

“Staring at me.”

“Can’t help it.”

Niall rolled his eyes, “Harry, do you think I haven’t heard it all before. I’ve been everywhere… there are boys like you everywhere.”

“Boys like me?”

“You know, beautiful… heartbreakers we went over this.” Niall said with a grin.

“I wouldn’t break your heart.” Harry said and Niall let out a breathy laugh and then bit his lip.

“No… you wouldn’t. You’d smash it to smithereens.” Harry stared at him at loss for words and then Niall smiled a real smile and not a reminiscent one. “I have a car but I don’t know how to drive it. Do you?”

“Know how to drive?”

“Yeah.”

“When’s the bonfire?”

“Tomorrow.”

“Then come over tomorrow and drive me. Will I be your date?”

“Do you want to be my date?”

“Nah,” Niall said with a coy smile and a shrug, “I want to keep my options open.”

\--

“Harry met a boy.” Louis said when him, Harry, Liam, and Zayn entered Liam’s house. Liam’s dog Loki came to greet them and they all petted him as usual and when it left to go play with something further into the house Zayn turned and raised an eyebrow,

“When?”

“Last night when we ditched him. Apparently some guy lives in the house.”

“Somebody actually lives there?” Liam asked.

“That’s what I said… and don’t listen to, Louis.”

“So you’re trying to tell us you didn’t meet a boy?”

“Well I-,”

“So you met a boy end of story.”

“Not like that though.”

“Did you or did you not call him cute?” Louis asked as they all settled onto Liam’s bed and carpet as Liam began putting in Grand Theft Auto into the Xbox.

“Calling somebody cute doesn’t mean anything.”

“We all know you’re a stud.” Zayn said with a chuckle. Harry rolled his eyes,

“I don’t even think he’s interested.”

“Why wouldn’t he be?”

“Out of my league.”

“How the hell is he out of your league? Have you seen you?” Liam asked eyes trained on the flat screen.

“Well yeah but he’s like gorgeous and rich and just different from the girls and guys around here. I invited him to the bonfire by the way.” Harry said and Louis gasped,

“But… Taylor,” he whined,

“I guarantee you I do not give a shit about Taylor.”

“You don’t even know this boy.” Louis pointed out.

“I know him more than Taylor.”

“Barely.”

“Better than nothing.”

\--

The next afternoon Harry found himself pink from a shower and staring at his closet naked save for some Calvin Klein’s. He wanted to look good but he didn’t want to look like a try-hard because Niall was the kind of boy to see right through him and point it out. He ran a hand through his curls not having a clue as to what to do with them. He finally decided on black skinny jeans, a band t-shirt, and white converse simple and not like he was trying to impress anybody. He made sure his breath smelled nice before leaving the house and shooting Louis a quick text to reassure him that yes he would meet him in El’s kitchen once he got there.

When he got to Niall’s place the gate was already open so he stepped inside and tried not to get all cocky about the fact that Niall had left the gate open for him and only him and that Niall was somewhere in his room expecting Harry. He rang the doorbell and waited silently, hands running across the door until it was pulled open by a gorgeous looking Niall.

Niall was dressed in shorts, a polo, and boat shoes practically screaming ‘i’m a rich boy’ but he looked so good Harry just wanted to rip the clothes off of him or kiss him or something.

“Come in.” Niall said and Harry did. Niall smelled of expensive cologne and shampoo, nice shampoo Harry wanted to bury his face in Niall’s hair.

“You look nice.” Harry said following Niall upstairs to get whatever.

“I would hope so I had Elise go out and buy this outfit for me today.”

“Who’s Elise?”

“My maid.”

“She shops for you too?”

“She does whatever I say.” Niall replied. Harry watched as he pulled open his desk drawer and pulled out a car key then turned to Harry. “Ever driven an Aston Martin?”

“You have an Aston Martin?” Harry asked dumbfounded. He’d never known an actual person who owned an Aston Martin but then again before Niall he never knew someone who lived in a mansion or went to boarding school in Switzerland.

“Yeah I never learned how to drive it though never really saw the point.”

“Oh my god.” Harry replied and Niall giggled and then cocked his head towards the door,

“Ready?”

“Yeah.”

Before they entered the garage Niall turned to him and smiled, his half dimple showing prominently and said, “by the way you look really good.” And then turned around and showed Harry his sleek black Aston Martin DB9. All Harry could do was gape as Niall oblivious to Harry’s shock went over to the passenger side and unlocked the car door. “You coming?” He asked and Harry remembered ‘oh yeah’ and his legs started working again.

The inside of the car was prettier than the outside, all nice leather finish and light up controls Harry felt like he was in heaven. “This is great.”

“Is it?” Niall mused sounding kind of bored. Harry marveled a little bit more before finally putting the key into the ignition and pulling out of Niall’s garage and then out of his driveway.

Niall turned on the radio and looked at Harry when a particularly upbeat song came on hoping Harry would sing with him which he ended up doing anyway. Harry’s heart kept doing this flipping thing that he wasn’t used to every time Niall turned and looked at him or every time Niall threw his head back and laughed and his eyes disappeared from the force of his laughter. Niall was magnetic and gorgeous and Harry was hooked.

When he got to Eleanor’s beach house he parked alongside the sidewalk like everybody else had done and pulled out his car and texted Louis that they were there.

“My friends are kind of weird.” Harry said to Niall who was staring out the window and observing the house and the people staring at their car and going to the party.

“I figured.” Niall said with a small shrug before pushing the door open and stepping out. Harry followed him and he had the urge to rest his hand on the small of Niall’s back as if staking his claim but Niall had said he didn’t want to be his date and Harry didn’t want to be the reason that Niall didn’t get kissed tonight or maybe he kind of did. He liked Niall, Niall was funny and cute and not like anybody had ever been around and they hadn’t known each other for even a week. He was pretty sure when he was older and he didn’t know Niall anymore he’d laugh at this moment but right then he’d never been so sure of anything.

Antarctica was cold, there were kangaroos in Australia, and he liked Niall Horan like properly like a fucking sap.

Eleanor’s beach house wasn’t really filled with people only a couple probably because everybody was in the back standing around the beach house and drinking cheap beers that somebody’s older brother had bought. They were all seventeen not even barely legal.

Harry noticed that Niall was abnormally quiet next to him but he didn’t comment if Niall wanted to be quiet he could be quiet, Harry wasn’t his keeper. He stepped into the kitchen and since Louis and the boys weren’t there yet and because him and Eleanor had known each other since kindergarten he began rummaging through her refrigerator.

“What are you doing?” Niall asked.

“Getting a beer. You want one?”

Niall didn’t say anything and Harry turned and looked at him, “you alright?”

“Yeah why wouldn’t I be?”

“You’re quiet.”

Niall chuckled, “That’s a weak response.”

“You’re not a very quiet person.”

“Maybe you don’t really know me.” Niall replied looking at him. Harry could hear the music and the loud noise coming from the backyard but all he could pay attention to was Niall filling himself up with lackluster bravado but Harry could see through it, see his vulnerability and… he was shy maybe a little nervous and of course he was. Because when you take someone like Niall who goes to fucking Switzerland for eleven months and knows twelve languages and who’s probably all sophisticated and shit and you drop him into a place like that he gets a little quiet. Harry felt a little guilty.

But then Louis came storming in with Zayn, Liam, Eleanor, and a blonde girl that from the look on Eleanor’s face Harry knew was Taylor. Fuck.

“Haz!” Eleanor said jumping and wrapping her arms around his neck. Harry returned the hug tightly, Eleanor was like his sister and he hadn’t seen her since school let out. He said hi to the boys and then Eleanor said, “Harry, this is Taylor Taylor, Harry.”

Harry shot Louis a discreet look that screamed ‘fuck you’ but all Louis did was grin. Harry hugged her awkwardly and she hugged back just the same and then it seemed like Eleanor finally spotted Niall because she gasped,

“Oh em gee is that the one and only Niall Horan?” She pulled him into a hug before any of them could even blink and Harry watched as he kind of stood there limply as she hugged him. Eleanor was the kind of person you took with a grain of salt, all energetic and peppy and going one hundred miles an hour. The girl didn’t have a pause button. “Last time I heard you were in Switzerland.”

“Yeah came back.” Niall said weakly barely even meeting her eye.

“Harry, I didn’t know you knew Niall.”

“We just met.” Harry supplied and Eleanor gave this tight smile, looked from Harry and Taylor, and then looked at Louis.

“Cool. Well let’s go outside we can’t just stand around here the whole time. I’ll kidnap Niall for a bit, Harry and Taylor you guys should talk. C’mon.” And then she was gripping Niall by the wrist and pulling him away all of them trailing after her. Taylor hung back so they were walking side by side. When Harry got outside the first thing he smelled were salt water and then the distinctive smell of fire. Loud dance music was playing and Harry watched as Eleanor took Niall away and the boys left him and Taylor before disappearing off somewhere.

“My cousin’s kind of crazy.” Taylor said and Harry turned and smiled at her. She was pretty with medium length blonde hair, cat eyes, and bloody red lips. She was actually his type down to a tee.

“El? Yeah no I’m used to her it’s okay. First time in Jersey?” Harry asked.

“Yeah I live in New Hampshire and I go to a snobby private school but El told me the kids down in Jersey could party so of course I had to find out for myself.”

“Of course. Uh… wanna dance?”

“Sure but disclosure I suck.”

“Hey that makes two of us.” Harry said as he took her hand and led her on to the dance floor. They danced a little crazy and she was all types of sweet but Harry found himself scanning the party for Niall the whole time, he felt like a bad date but it wasn’t like he’d agreed to this so Eleanor couldn’t yell at him when things between him and Taylor didn’t work out. When they stopped dancing Taylor smiled at him kind of subdued,

“You should go find him.” She said and Harry ruffled his eyebrows,

“What?”

“The boy you came with… you should go find him.”

Harry blushed, “No-,”

“It’s okay, Harry. I don’t need a boy to have fun.” She said hip checking him and smiling and Harry ran a hand through his hair,

“I’m sorry.”

“Why?”

“For wasting your time.”

“I got to a dance with a cute boy… I wouldn’t call that wasted time.”

“You sure?”

“I am positive. And plus the boy over there’s been making eyes at me since I got here.” She laughed and he did too grateful. He gave her one final non-awkward hug and then left walking towards the house where of course he found Niall, Eleanor, and Louis nursing beers. Eleanor and Louis were chatting amongst themselves on the steps while Niall had his head resting on the side.

“Hey.” Harry said and Niall looked up.

“Hey, where’s your girl?”

“My girl?”

“Taylor?”

“Not my girl.” Harry replied holding out his hand and Niall slipped his hand into it. Harry pulled him to his feet and this got Louis and El’s attention because they turned and raised their eyebrows,

“Where’s Taylor?” Eleanor asked looking around as if Harry was hiding Taylor in his back pocket or something.

“Dancing with a boy.”

“She was supposed to be dancing with you!” Eleanor whined furthering explaining why she and Louis belonged together.

“But she isn’t. She’s sweet and all but… I’m good.” Harry said with a shrug and she made a face then looked at Niall.

“Whatever.”

Harry shook his head then because he and Niall were still technically holding hands he pulled Niall towards the music. “Where are your shoes?” Harry asked noticing Niall was barefoot.

“Took them off. They kept getting filled with sand.”

“Understandable. Wanna dance with me?”

“When do I not want to dance with you?” Niall asked over the loud Jay-Z song playing and Harry shrugged,

“We’ve only danced once.”

“Well now we’re going to change that.” Niall said moving a little and then giggling. He grabbed both of Harry’s hands and then began moving them all while doing this weird little dance move that made him look all types of cute and goofy. Harry couldn’t help but moving with him and then raising his hands so Niall could do a little twirl into him.

“Tom ford.” Niall said in time with Jay-Z and then, “I love Jay-Z.”

“Yeah? Who else do you love?”

“I love… Lorde, I like Nick Jonas he’s so cute.” Niall said and Harry pressed a hand to his heart.

“Damn.”

“Have you seen him? He’s wonderful.” Niall smiled when he said that still dancing.

“You still nervous?” Harry asked when the Jay-Z song finished and transitioned into an old Natasha Bedingfield song.

“When was I nervous?” Niall asked.

“When we got into the house.”

“I wasn’t nervous.” Niall pouted.

“Scouts honor?”

“I was never a boy’s scout.” Harry shot him a look and he huffed. “I just wanted your friends to like me.”

“Well?”

“I don’t know. When you went off with Taylor, Zayn and Liam went off with each other, and Louis and Eleanor just started talking. I was kind of alone.” He looked up at Harry with those eyes the ones that made Harry feel like he’d done everything wrong when he hadn’t.

“I won’t let you be alone again.”

“Hey I’m not like depending on you to make me not lonely or anything, Mr. Styles. I’ve been alone before you know.” Niall said.

“Yeah I know but hopefully that’ll change now that you know me.”

“You’re nothing special.” Niall teased with a small laugh and Harry gave him a lopsided smile,

“You don’t really think that.”

“I might.”

“Ouch.”

Niall just beamed at him and they continued dancing for a little bit before Niall stood closer to him than said, “Why don’t we go swimming?”

“You wanna go swimming?”

“Yes.”

“Come… I know the perfect place.” Harry said because he did because he and the guys and Eleanor had been there so many times before, where the rocks were tall and then you jumped and then you were submerged in cold ocean water. They walked holding each other’s hands lightly nothing too serious but with something there in between those at the same time something a little like electricity and Harry knew he wasn’t the only one feeling it.

“Where are you taking me?” Niall asked huffing out a laugh but not letting go. It made Harry feel good knowing that Niall trusted him enough to not know where they were going but to know Harry would never hurt him.

“You’ll see.”

They walked for a little bit more, “the beach in Jersey is really nice.” Niall said wistfully.

“What? Were there no beaches in Switzerland?”

“If there were I never went.”

“What’d you do in Switzerland then?”

“I went ice skating… roller skating… I went out dancing a lot.”

“You know how to ice skate?”

“Yeah want me to teach you some time?”

“I’d probably suck.”

“Well yeah you’d need to learn first, dork.”

Harry snickered at Niall’s jibe and they walked in silence for a little bit until Harry started seeing the rocks, high jagged rocks and of course the jersey beach water was wonderfully calming and lulling at night.

“What are we doing?” Niall asked.

“Ever been cliff diving?”

“No.” Niall replied and Harry turned and saw him eyeing the cliff and then Harry. Harry laughed,

“Chill. It’s fun.”

“Looks dangerous.” Niall muttered and Harry turned so he was fully facing Niall.

“Hey,” he said softly pressing his hand to Niall’s soft cheek, “I’m never going to let you hurt yourself okay?”

Niall rolled his eyes and pulled away but Harry could see the blush, “why do you always have to be such a sappy dork?” He asked.

“It’s in my DNA.”

“Obviously.”

“C’mon let’s go up.”

Niall looked apprehensive but he slipped his hand into Harry’s again and allowed himself to be led up silently. Harry knew he was nervous or scared or whatever but he wasn’t going to ask about it because he didn’t want to irritate Niall to the point where he ended up running off.

When they got to the highest point on the cliff Harry began stripping of his clothes.

“I’m having a déjà vu moment.” Niall teased watching Harry and he laughed,

“You’re not going to join me?”

“I don’t know… I haven’t decided.”

“Wanna do it together?”

Harry watched as Niall contemplated this biting his lip and looking over the cliff and then scrambling back. He shrugged, “sure,” like it didn’t mean a thing and Harry tried not to smile. “Turn around.” Niall said before he began taking off his clothes and Harry laughed but did as he was told. “Okay you can turn around.” Niall finally said and when Harry turned Niall was down to his tight Calvin Klein briefs and Harry tried not to swallow visibly.

Niall was wiry but in good shape and he wanted to touch but that was inappropriate in the moment. He turned to Niall and put his hand out which Niall took and they walked towards the edge of the cliff. Harry let Niall study the bottom wordlessly and then he sighed,

“Okay.” And then Niall threaded their fingers together and squeezed like the last thing he wanted to do was let go.

“Ready?” Harry asked getting into position and Niall just shook his head,

“Just go!”

“Okay on go,” Harry said and Niall nodded eyes squeezed shut, “go!” Harry shouted and then they both were lunging themselves off the cliff, the cold air hitting him hard and fast and Niall’s hands safely tucked in his. Cliff diving was all about adrenaline and he always got the breath knocked out of him but it was fun. He made impact with the water and then he was submerged, under. His eyes were still closed when he hit and then he opened them underwater, watched as Niall resurfaced and then almost laughed when Niall started calling his name as if he wasn’t right there. He let Niall call him for a little bit was good with being underwater and then he finally broke the surface of the water with a large shit-eating grin on his face.

“Didn’t you hear me calling you?” Niall screeched throwing water in his face and looking worried out of his mind.

“Yeah but I was swimming.”

“You’re an asshole.”

“Don’t be like that. That was fun right?”

“I guess.”

“Don’t lie.”

“I’m not. Maybe if you weren’t an asshole I would’ve enjoyed it more.”

“I wasn’t being an intentional asshole. It was funny.”

Niall rolled his eyes and Harry looked at him, his neatly parted and combed blonde hair was now wet and spiking up from where Harry presumed Niall had ran his hand through it and his cheeks were rosier than usual and goddamn that boy was pretty.

“So were the boys back in Switzerland like me?”

“Stupid? Not really.” Niall said swimming away from him and Harry chuckled swimming towards him.

“No… exciting.”

“You aren’t that exciting.”

“But sort of.”

“I guess.” Niall said with a shrug but a smile was threatening its way onto his lips.

“You’re cute.” Harry blurted and then blushed because wow smooth. Niall laughed and he actually blushed too and began swimming backwards away from Harry again.

“I know.”

“You know?”

“Yeah just how you know you’re hot right?”

Harry grinned, “Right.”

And then he plunged himself underwater again knowing Niall was going to follow him and just like he expected he found himself with a faceful of Niall. He smiled and had the urge to just reach in and kiss him but he didn’t, he just began swimming away with Niall hot on his tail. When he resurfaced Niall did too,

“So why do you dye your hair?” Harry found himself asking Niall who looked taken aback by the question.

“Blonds have more fun… everybody knows that.”

“So the reason for you dying your hair was because of a stupid social stigma?”

Niall nodded then said, “Isn’t that the reason everything is done though? Stupid social stigmas control everything.”

“Yeah but you’d be cute as a brunet.”

“And yet you’re still trying to kiss me.” Niall replied and Harry laughed.

Niall studied him for a long moment, “now who’s staring?”

“I’m trying to figure you out.”

“You could just ask me.” Harry said.

“But what’s the fun in that?”

“I,” Harry said slowly, “have created a monster.”

\--

Harry woke up with his face smashed into a pillow in a bed that wasn’t his and groaned, he knew he was fully awake but at the same time he didn’t want to get up the bed was entirely too comfortable and it smelled like strawberry shampoo. He laid there for a bit listening for any noise downstairs but was interrupted when Niall stormed into the room, toothbrush in mouth.

“Good morning, sleepy face!”

“Time’s it?” Harry asked.

“Almost two.”

“Almost two?”

“Yeah.” Niall replied with a small shrug and Harry groaned.

“Fuck. Mom’s gonna have my ass.”

Harry sat up quickly and then steadied himself. After swimming for a good hour last night he had driven Niall to the twenty four hour burger joint, Burger-Fi and Niall had poked at his burger full of fat before eating it and trying not to let on that it was the best thing he’d had in a long time. Harry tried not to give him a hard time. After that he’d driven Niall home where they had played some Fifa (and Niall kicked his ass but he would never admit it) and then watched some dumb foreign movie on Niall’s Netflix and they’d both ended up falling asleep.

“I texted her when you were asleep. Said you were at Liam’s because that was the easiest to spell.”

“Oh thank fuck. You’re a life-saver.”

“Why would she be mad?”

“Last time I didn’t come home without telling her she found me at the police station and I ended up in juvenile detention.” Harry said and Niall made a face then excused himself to the bathroom. When he came back he sat down at the foot of the bed and curled his legs under him then he settled Harry’s feet on his lap. It was strangely sweet but he’d never tell Niall that because he’d have a cow.

“So what happened? With the whole juvenile detention thing.”

“It’s a long story.” Harry said not wanting Niall to hear the story and then not trusting him around his stuff.

“Trust me, I’ve got nothing but time.”

“It’s complicated.”

“What? Did you unintentionally steal a pair of shoes and then got sent off to Texas to dig holes to learn your lesson?”

“Is that the plot of Holes?”

“Doesn’t matter you have to tell me what happened.”

Harry sighed and looked at Niall, “promise not to judge me.”

“Promise not to be some kind of murderer slash rapist.”

“Promise.” Harry said and Niall sighed in relief,

“Okay then I promise not to judge you.”

“Alright so a couple months ago me and Liam saw this house right, it had owners but they were out most of the time and Liam he was good at breaking into places and he told me that he’d found money lots of money and like me and him we’re not like Louis and Zayn who are pretty well off and didn’t need to do anything to get through life but me and Liam we did. So one night we broke into the place and we basically stole a bunch of stuff like… a lot and we got caught like two hours later because Liam’s headlights were busted and we were high off our minds. So we got sent to juvie for two months.”

Niall didn’t say anything for a bit just kept making figure eights on Harry’s feet then said, “So you robbed from people like me?”

“Yeah.” Harry said watching his face. It didn’t change it was still that passive nonchalance that Niall had begun with. Usually Harry liked it but now it made Harry nervous because he had no idea what was going through Niall’s head. The boy finally said,

“I trust you, ya ’know if that’s what you’re worried about. I mean you could’ve robbed me when I let you into my house that first night but you didn’t and you could’ve pushed me to my death yesterday but you didn’t… so I trust you.”

Harry smiled softly then said, “Now look who’s being a sappy dork.”

\--

Harry and Niall went to the skating rink two days later because of Niall’s insistence to teach Harry how to ice skate. McGee’s the local ice skating rink that served overprice fries was open twenty four hours every Saturday so Harry found himself driving there with Niall’s feet on the dashboard of the Aston Martin and expensive Ray bans on his face looking like a proper spoiled rich boy.

When he got there he made a face, “ice rinks back in Switzerland were larger but this’ll do.”

“Whoa, Niall your rich is showing.” Harry said and Niall blew him a raspberry going from snobby to cute in two point five seconds.

Niall ordered both their skates and Harry watched as Niall got himself laced up looking confident and in his element unlike when he was at Eleanor’s beach house or at the cliff about to plunge under with Harry. Niall put his hand out for Harry to take and Harry rolled his eyes,

“I feel very emasculated right now.”

“Shut up I thought you liked it when I held your hand.” Niall said with a small pout and Harry laughed,

“I do but you’re going to teach me how to ice skate.”

“So? Ice skating’s romantic… you could woo me.” Niall said with a wink as he tugged Harry onto the ice. Only a couple of other skaters were around probably because it was summer and Jersey so people preferred to the beach to the skating rink. Niall skated backwards holding Harry’s hands in front of him and Harry who was extremely petrified of falling and making a proper fool of himself was bent almost in half and forward so he could keep his balance. Niall was cackling.

“You’re such a dork, oh my goodness.”

“Hey not everybody can be as good as you, princess.”

“Flattering gets you nowhere.”

Niall said tugging him into a standing position only for Harry to go sprawling over the ice. Niall huffed and looked down at him with a little smirk, “loser.”

“I hate you.”

“Get up.”

“I don’t think I can.” Niall rolled his eyes and grabbed Harry’s hands again hoisting him to his feet. Harry returned to his previous position and Niall laughed,

“I don’t know if you’re cute or pathetic. I’m going to go with both.”

“I’m not cute I’m hot.”

“Not here you’re not.” Niall said skating gracefully backwards and tugging Harry like he weighed nothing. “Okay, can I just, say something crazy?” Niall said softly and Harry looked up at him sharply and Niall was staring at him with a wide grin, “c’mon sing with me.” He said pouting and Harry shook his head.

“Absolutely not.”

Niall let go of one of his hands and he wavered a little bit then half shouted, “I love crazy!” Niall grinned,

“All my life has been a series of doors in my face and then suddenly I bump into you.” And before Harry knew it they were getting into a rendition of Love Is An Open Door in the middle of the ice rink and when they were finished with Harry’s face aflame and Niall looking triumphant and too proud of himself the older people who were there clapped for them and all Harry could do was laugh. An old woman with hair as white as snow skated up to them,

“You kids are so cute young love just never dies does it?”

Niall laughed, “It never does.” And Harry just could not stop blushing like an illiterate idiot.

“Let’s go take pictures since this is obviously going nowhere.” Niall ordered when the old lady had left and they skated around for a little bit more with Harry still ridiculously scared of falling and braining himself all over the ice. The photo booth was empty so they both slid in and since Niall paid for the skates Harry decided to pay for the pictures. Niall kept telling Harry to smile only for him to make a silly face into the camera and then it became a competition on who could make the silliest face. When it got to the last picture Niall furrowed his eyebrows,

“The last one should be good.”

“Think we did all the good ones.” Harry said with a shrug even if he did want to desperately want to kiss Niall it was way too soon and Harry didn’t want to be that guy. And he’d established that Niall was different not like all the guys and girls Harry’d had his dick in previously. The camera countdown started going off and before Harry knew it Niall had his lips to Harry’s checks and Harry’s mouth went ‘o.’

Niall couldn’t stop laughing when they got the pictures back.

\--

A week later Harry was burrowed under the covers in his bedroom when his sister came in and he knew it was her because she never knocked unlike his mom who always did.

“What do you want, Gemma?” He groaned.

“Well good morning to you too, sunshine.” Harry turned and raised an eyebrow at her. “I wanted to talk to you.” She said sitting down at the foot of his bed.

“About?” He groaned.

“Stuff.” Harry stared at her wholly unimpressed with whatever she was trying to say. If she was going to talk in code he might as well just go to sleep. “Don’t be rude.” She said making him realize he’d said that aloud.

“Well?”

“Heard from the grapevine that you’ve got a boyfriend.”

Harry snorted, “Who’s the grapevine? Louis, Liam, or Zayn?”

“Eleanor actually.” Gemma replied and Harry rolled his eyes,

“Grapevine’s wrong.”

“So you’re single?”

“Yeah.”

“So if you saw a pretty girl or guy right now you wouldn’t mind taking them to bed?” Harry didn’t answer because well he would mind because these days the only person he even wanted to take to bed was Niall, Niall who’d been seeing all day either just to go over and play Fifa or fuck around town. Doing stuff with someone else would feel like cheating even if he knew technically and rationally it wasn’t, they had never claimed each other like that.

“So see you’re taken.”

“It’s complicated.”

“He like you?”

“I don’t know.” And he wasn’t even kidding, sometimes Niall would say these things and Harry would think ‘oh of course he’s into me’ but then they’d be having a moment and Niall would say something to ruin it or just turn his head if it looked like Harry was trying to kiss him. He was the most difficult person Harry had ever met and Harry wouldn’t change that for the world.

“I wanna meet him.”

“He ain’t my boyfriend.”

“Yeah but he your friend… I can’t meet your friends?” Gemma asked and Harry groaned,

“Fucking fine, you can meet him.”

“You say the sweetest things.” She deadpanned getting up and walking out. He stared at the stain on his ceiling knowing he wasn’t going to get any sleep soon. He turned and grabbed his phone off the bedside table shooting Niall a quick text,

_U up?_

Niall answered back almost immediately,

_Yeah what do you want, sleepy face?_

_Sis wants to meet ya._

_She does? Why?_

_Cuz she does, that an issue?_

Instead of texting back Niall called him. Niall did that a lot choosing to finish the conversation through a phone call rather than a text message and Harry didn’t even know if it was a good or bad thing. Harry supposed it wasn’t either it was just a Niall thing, a quirk.

“Hey.” Harry said when he picked up.

“It’s not an issue it just sounds so… formal?”

“Well it isn’t.”

“Okay.” Niall said stretching the word out like he was confused as to what Harry was getting at.

“Okay.”

“Why are you snapping at me?”

“I’m not snapping.”

“You are snapping. You’re being all sensitive about something.”

“I’m not sensitive.”

“Your macho man act has gotten a little old.”

“Oh my god, stop making things bigger than they really are.”

“I didn’t even say anything.”

“Can I come over or are you going to lecture me if I do?”

“Oh my god, do what you want.” Niall said mocking him and then hanging up. Harry stared at the phone and wondered if this was their first fight. Harry rolled off the bed and showered and got into sweats and a white t-shirt before walking over to Niall’s place. The gate was open and Niall was sitting on the front step looking like he was waiting for Harry with his cheek in his palm looking every bit the boy that Harry was falling in love with, fast. When he saw Harry he didn’t move so Harry took a seat next to him on the step.

“Hi.” Harry said.

“Hi.” Niall replied.

“Sorry for snapping.” Harry said because Niall was stubborn and he wasn’t going to bring it up unless Harry did.

“Can you tell me why you were snapping?”

“Just annoyed.”

“Okay… was that so hard to tell me? Thought you were like…” and then Niall drifted off causing Harry to turn and look at him,

“Thought I was like what?”

“Nothing.” Niall said with a small shrug.

“You sure?”

“Mhm.” Niall replied then rested his head on Harry’s shoulder a habit he’d developed from their time hanging out.

“You wash your hair?” Harry asked digging his face into Niall’s hair.

“Yeah.”

“Smells nice.”

“Thanks.”

Because Gemma was Gemma she thought Niall was the cutest thing possible and took every chance she had to tell them that and when Niall excused himself to the bathroom she started bugging Harry as to why he hadn’t asked out Niall yet and he couldn’t just tell Gemma things were a lot more complicated than that. It was nice though having Gemma meet Niall because he respected Gemma and loved her and she was one of his best friends and Niall was Niall this boy who’d positively stolen his heart just from a first look and seeing them get along well that was good.

Gemma left after so Niall and Harry went up to Harry’s bedroom.

“So this is your bat cave.” Niall said and Harry groaned.

“Fucking nerd.”

“Dork.” Niall replied looking at his stuff and his framed photographs of himself and his friends. “You think your sister liked me?”

“Did you not see the way she was looking at you? I think she wants to marry you.”

“Let her know I like boys but I do have a single older brother partying it up in Bora Bora.” Niall said with laughter and Harry raised an eyebrow,

“You have an older brother?”

“Yeah his name’s Greg, he’s twenty four.”

“Shit… think about all the stuff we don’t know about each other.”

“It’s not much. I know you have a sister and a single mom and you like swimming and that you’ve got a shit ton of tattoos and you’re kind of a bad boy but not really not at all and that even when I’m kind of shitty you put up with me and you sing along with me to the songs on the radio or the ones in my head and you dance with me all the time. So there.” Harry’s heart had never hurt as much before even with Niall standing there smiling all obliviously (well maybe not obliviously) cute.

“C’mere.” Harry said scooting over on his bed and Niall did just that, laid right next to Harry so they were cuddling all up in each other’s space with Niall tracing the tattoo on the inside of his arm.

\--

The fair came to the town the week after Niall met Gemma and of course Harry wanted to take Niall because the last time Niall had gone he was ten and Harry went every single year him, Liam, Louis, and Zayn bumming a ride in Liam’s shitty car.

“You need to stop abandoning us for your boyfriend.” Liam had said good-naturedly because when he and Zayn got together nobody had seen either of them without the other for a good two weeks. So Liam picked him, Zayn, and Louis up and then made his way down to Grandire Shores. “I can’t believe he leaves the gate open for you.” Zayn said when they got to Niall’s mansion. Louis had his face pressed to the window staring up at it.

“He loves you.” Louis said.

“No, he trusts me.”

“Same difference.” Liam replied and Harry blushed. Liam parked so that Harry could go knock on the door and Niall answered wearing a band t-shirt Harry’s band t-shirt from when they’d gone to the party and some jeans and god Harry wanted to kiss him, wanted to love him.

“You gonna stare at me all night or are we gonna go to the fair?” He asked with a short smile and Harry rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly.

“You just look good is all.”

Niall slipped his hand into Harry’s and leaned up to kiss him on the cheek, “thanks.” And then he was tugging Harry to the car like he was the one leading him and not the other way around. When he slid in the boys were trying to keep their faces neutral even though Harry knew they’d seen the kiss.

“Hey, man what’s up?” Zayn asked reaching back for a fist bump. Niall returned it and smiled.

“Not much I haven’t seen you guys in a week or two huh?”

“Yeah far too long.” Louis replied staring at Niall probably because he hadn’t had the chance to interrogate him when they’d first met.

“You excited?” Liam asked him.

“For what? The fair?”

“Yeah.”

“Oh sure... haven’t been to one in what seven years?”

“That’s ridiculous.” Harry said and Niall shrugged,

“Never really had the chance.”

“Where were you before Jersey again? Amsterdam?” Louis asked.

“Switzerland actually but I have gone to Amsterdam,” Niall turned to Harry, “it’s really pretty.”

“Yeah?” Harry asked and Niall nodded then looked back at Louis,

“Harry talks about me then I’m guessing.”

“He never stops.” Zayn said and Harry blushed running a hand across his face as Liam snickered. Harry wished someone would tease them about Liam’s hand on Zayn’s knee and not him and his non-existent relationship.

“When my friends up in Switzerland call I talk about him all the time so it’s okay, we’re even.” Niall smiled at Harry and all Harry could do was smile back because every time Niall smiled at him he just couldn’t function properly.

\--

The fair was in full swing by the time they got there and Harry had already planned out everything so he grabbed Niall’s hand and they headed for the ticket booth. Niall kept looking around like a child on his first time experience and it hurt Harry to see how much Niall had and how much he didn’t all at the same time. Boys liked Niall belonged with other rich boys in country clubs flaunting their parents’ money not on fair grounds looking like sunshine and Harry’s nightmares and daydreams all rolled into one.

“Stop spacing out.” Niall said softly flicking him on the nose.

Harry chuckled, “Sorry bad habit.”

“I wanna go on every ride and puke on at least one.”

“Gross.” Harry said laughing and Niall shrugged,

“That’s the full fair experience I looked it up.”

“You looked it up?”

“I watched a lot of movies.” Niall replied and Harry shook his head because he was with the world’s most wonderful boy and it was absurd really how lucky he got. Harry bought the tickets and pulled Niall over to the teacups where they sat all squished together and the little kids laughed at them.

They went on the tilt-a-whirl twice because of Niall, the firebomb twice and Harry was sure his ears popped both times, and then they went on the wind seeker, and then the bumper rides a bunch of times, and Harry decided it was time to win Niall a huge teddy bear. He’d had it all planned out since he’d heard about the fair, it’d be all romantic and stuff.

But it seemed like the ducks he had to sink had a different idea because for whatever reason he just couldn’t do it. He could hear Niall giggling behind him and he was getting progressively redder but he needed to win it.

“Hey, let me try.” Niall said pushing Harry aside and Harry gaped as Niall sunk every single duck and then cheered clapping his hands together. He turned and smiled cockily at Harry, “that’s how you do it.”

He took the bear that was handed to him and grinned, “I would give it to you but I love it too much.”

“I don’t want the stinkin’ bear.” Harry grumbled. Niall guffawed and slipped his hand back to Harry’s,

“Hey if you really wanna impress me buy me something to eat then take me on the Ferris wheel. I’m getting tired.”

So Harry did, he bought Niall overpriced cotton candy, overpriced burgers, overpriced everything and all Niall could do was laugh and take everything. “You’re gonna go broke.” Niall said and Harry shrugged,

“You impressed yet?”

“Take me on the Ferris wheel and I will be.”

So they did both of them slipping onto the Ferris wheel with the huge bear on Niall’s side taunting Harry.

“On a scale of one to ten how much fun have you had so far?”

“Solid nine.” Niall replied grinning with white teeth too straight to not be the doing of years of braces. For some reason Harry got the image of a brace faced Niall Horan in his head and it was just extremely cute. Niall poked him on the cheek and he looked over. “Spacing.”

“Sorry.”

“It’s okay I like this. It’s peaceful and a little scary but it’s good.”

“I’m glad that you’re having a good time… you deserve it, you really do.”

Niall huffed, “what do you mean?”

“It’s just… you have everything but not really and I want to give you that. I mean going to the fair isn’t much but-,” and before Harry could even finish his sentence Niall was reaching in and kissing him, hand going behind Harry’s neck and curving their softly and all Harry could do was stroke Niall’s cheek. When Niall pulled away all Harry could do was stare.

“Whoa.” He said and Niall laughed.

“Whoa?”

“It was good. I really wanted to kiss you.”

“Good… me too. Would’ve been really embarrassing if you didn’t.” Niall chuckled nervously and all Harry could do was look at him before saying,

“Can we do it again?”

“Yeah.”

“Now,” Harry said when they’d finished kissing for the second time that night, “on a scale of one to ten how much fun are you having.”

“Solid eleven.”

\--

“My parents are coming to visit.” Is how Niall greeted him when he walked into the house a week after the fair. Harry raised an eyebrow and took in Niall’s disheveled appearance and realized okay this wasn’t a good thing.

“Why isn’t this a good thing?” Harry asked pressing a kiss to Niall’s forehead. They were something Harry knew that much but they’d never specified. The only difference in their relationship is that they actually kissed now and it was good Harry liked it… no he loved it Niall was everything he was all of Harry’s blank spaces.

“My parents are… insane.”

“Explain.” Harry said taking his hand and walking him over to the couch. Harry collapsed onto it and Niall collapsed onto Harry situating himself so that he was bracketing Harry’s legs with his thighs. Harry absolutely hated when Niall did that because his dick got excited so quick and who could blame him Niall was gorgeous and every time he moved- Harry needed to stop the thoughts right there because it was obvious they were going to have a serious conversation.

Niall sighed and shrugged, “they’re so high maintenance and they don’t love each other but for the sake of me they stick together and they’re always trying to win me over like I’m the invisible prize between them like mom will say something expecting me to agree with her and if I do I’m on her side which makes dad mad but if I don’t I’m on dad’s side which makes mom mad and they’re so exhausting and they always make me so fucking sad and I hate it. I hate when they’re in the same room it’s like someone threw a stick of dynamite in the room and I’m just waiting for it to explode.” When Niall was finished talking he sighed and rested his head on Harry’s chest exhaling and inhaling slowly.

“Hey hey, baby it’s okay.”

“It’s not.” Niall muttered because he was Niall and he was stubborn.

“When are they coming?”

“Tomorrow.”

“How long they staying?”

“A week… a fucking week with them will just cause my head to burst.”

“How about if I sleep over… they won’t mind right?”

“You’re going to sleep over for a week?”

“Well no but I can come over every day if you want.”

“Oh my god yes please god move in if you want.” Niall said looking at Harry with oddly serious eyes like this was the happiest news he’d gotten all week.

“That means I’m meeting your parents.” Harry said rubbing Niall’s hips a surefire way to calm him down.

“That’s fine and maybe they’ll stop arguing for a little bit, mom will probably ask you too much questions… dad will probably leave. He hasn’t gotten over the fact that I like boys even though it was never ever a secret.”

“Stop stressing.”

“Can you blame me?”

“No but I want to kiss you and you’re all tense.”

“Kiss me then.” Niall said but he didn’t look like he wanted to be kissed so Harry kind of just raised an eyebrow at him and Niall sighed. “I’m being difficult, huh?”

“It’s okay I didn’t sign up for easy.”

“Dork.” Niall said and then leaned in and kissed him softly at first but then it soon became heated and Niall ended up on his back with Harry on top of him in between his legs. He could feel Niall’s hard on through his pajama bottoms and he grinded down against him causing Niall to gasp into his mouth.

“You like that?” Harry heard himself say and all Niall could do was nod quickly obviously wanting more. Harry pressed his forehead against Niall’s, “what do you want?” He asked.

“You.”

“All of me?” Harry asked and Niall shook his head,

“No, not yet. Just… your hands.” Niall said softly and Harry nodded resolutely, kissing Niall again hard this time and then moving his hand from its place next to Niall’s head and to the inside of Niall’s pants. Harry had never heard someone whimper as pretty as Niall did when Harry got a hand around his dick and began to jerk him off, slow at first and then fast making Niall thrust up to meet his strokes and then Niall was spilling over his hand and gasping. Harry felt oddly proud of himself.

Swiftly Niall was flipping them so that he was the one on top now and then he was kissing Harry slowly and filthily and Harry was probably the hardest he’d ever been at that moment. “Gonna suck you.” Niall said softly into his ear and Harry groaned running a hand through his hair,

“You don’t have to, babe.”

“I think you know me well enough by now to know that I do what I want.” Niall kissed Harry once more before sliding down his body. Harry watched as he undid Harry’s tight jeans then stroked him slowly for a little not getting his mouth on his dick yet and then unexpectedly he was swallowing Harry whole. Harry groaned brokenly and one of his hands went to Niall’s hair and the other to his own. Niall was going at like a pro, with finesse and Harry knew it wasn’t Niall’s first time and god he loved it found his eyes rolling to the back of his head as Niall swallowed his cock.

When Harry finally came Niall reclaimed his spot back as the little spoon both of them spent and quiet trying to sort themselves out.

“Wanna play Fifa?” Niall asked.

“Wanna do anything long as I’m with you.”

“Dork.” Niall said but he blushed anyway and before he went to retrieve the game he leaned down and kissed him. Harry was so fucked.

\--

Harry and Niall made sure the house was in perfect order before Niall’s parents came the next day even though the maid had already cleaned the house over and over again and the only room ever used was Niall’s. Harry could tell Niall was frazzled out of his mind and he didn’t know what to make of it, didn’t know how to help and he didn’t really think kissing someone stopped them from having a panic attack so he sat Niall down and they watched reruns of That’s So Raven until they heard a car slamming outside.

Niall stood up almost immediately, “oh my god, this is a mistake. Get out.” He hissed and Harry almost chocked on his tongue.

“Niall, chill.” He said and he watched as his boyfriend(?) ran a hand across his hair and then he was rushing over to the front door and practically out. Harry followed him, feeling like he’d just gotten whiplash from Niall’s changing moods. One second he was convinced that Niall was chill and then he was up and bouncing off the walls like someone had given him too much caffeine.

Harry got outside just in time to see an elegant looking blonde woman step out of a black Bentley, she had on a large hat that covered half her face and she handed her bag to the man who had opened the door for her and she was wearing a white lace dress with high heels. Then another car pulled up behind her and Harry watched as a man stepped out of it wearing an expensive looking suit and looking royally pissed off at whatever. Harry couldn’t believe these people were actually Niall’s parents and he studied them, watched as Niall kissed the woman on the cheek twice and then shook his hands with his father. The man took the woman’s hand and they began walking towards the house and Harry felt a surge of panic go through him as the woman’s eyes landed on him. She raised an eyebrow then turned to Niall,

“Darling, who is this?”

“Uhm ma, this is Harry.” Niall said quickly stepping between his parents and Harry.

“I think your mother means what is he doing here, Niall James.” Niall’s father said sternly. Harry had never known his dad but he hoped he didn’t look this cold when talking to his own kid.

“He’s my boyfriend.” Harry heard Niall say. All he could do was stare at the back of Niall’s head because they were boyfriends? Why hadn’t Niall told him before introducing him like that but knowing Niall he was probably panicking more than Harry.

“Is he deaf?” Niall’s mother asked which Harry guessed was his cue and he stuck his hand out,

“Hello, Mrs. Horan how are you? I’m Harry.” Niall’s mother took his hand gingerly and shook it,

“Fine.” Then she turned to Niall and Niall’s dad. “I don’t want to stand out here all day.” So they all escorted her inside. Harry watched as she looked around the house wordlessly. She took off her hat to reveal a head of blonde hair then turned to Niall and grinned,

“Come properly kiss your mother, doll.”

\--

Niall’s parents- Harry learned- were filthy rich and didn’t have a clue as to do with all that money. They talked about the trips they had taken in one month alone and they both seemed bored and Niall just kept picking at his food gripping Harry’s hand under the table. Niall’s mother kept pouring glass after glass of expensive wine while Niall’s father had honest to god taken a whole case of beer and set it down on the table and began chugging one after the other. It was like watching a train wreck.

“So, Harry how’d you and Niall meet?” Niall’s mother asked Harry slurring her words a little bit. Harry didn’t know how to explain their first meeting to Niall’s mother so Niall saved him,

“He’s Eleanor’s friend. She introduced us.”

“Oh Ellie! I liked that girl.”

“I thought you had a crush on her, Niall.” Niall’s father said and Niall turned to his father and Harry saw the left side of his face twitch like he was barely containing himself.

“I don’t like girls.”

“You’re still going through that phase?” His father asked him then let out a particularly loud laugh.

“Bobby, please contain yourself. Niall’s young let him have fun for a little.”

“This isn’t a game, ma.” Niall said and Harry stared at the family not knowing what to say.

“Okay.” His mom said then her and Niall’s father exchanged giggles. Harry turned and looked at Niall whose face was burning and who looked like he was either going to flip the table or burst into tears any second.

“Can you guys excuse us for a second?” Harry asked not even awaiting their answer, simply grabbing Niall’s hand and pulling him out of the dining room and into the nearest bathroom. He shut the door after them and then grabbed Niall letting his boyfriend (god he loved the sound of that) bury his face into his chest and sob. Niall shook and heaved with the force of his cries and all Harry could do was stroke his hair sadly.

“I’m so sorry.” Harry said and he was he really was.

The week with Niall’s parents passed by in an unpleasant blur of slick comments said under breaths and actually golfing. Harry wasn’t particularly a big fan of golf but Niall and his father loved it so Harry had to sit and watch them and Niall told him that golfing was the only time he ever felt like him and his father were on the same page and Niall’s mother made too many deserts for Harry to count and she drank a lot, Harry didn’t remember a time when he saw her without a drink in her hand. It was kind of worrying but of course he didn’t comment on it.

When they left he felt like he could finally breathe a sigh of relief for himself and most of all for a drained Niall.

\--

June passed by in a blur of Niall and Harry glued to each other’s side and HarryandNiallkissingharryandnialleverywhereharryandniall and then before he knew it it was July and things were good. So he decided it was time to start teaching Niall how to drive because it was such a shame to have a car like Niall’s and not know how to drive it but of course Niall didn’t see it that way.

“I don’t mind not knowing how to drive, I have people for that.” Niall said one day when Harry was trying to convince him and Harry rolled his eyes.

“So I’m your people, I’m just your driver.”

“Don’t be silly.” Niall had said.

“Then let me teach you how to drive.” And Niall had rolled his eyes and relented.

So that was how Harry found himself in the passenger side of The Aston Martin with Niall at the driver’s looking proper bored and proper annoyed at Harry.

“You’re a terrible boyfriend.” Niall said to him huffing and crossing his arms.

“I’m a great boyfriend. These are good life skills to have.”

“Life skills my ass.” Niall muttered and Harry grinned then reached over and meant to press a kiss to his cheek but Niall turned his head and kissed him on the lips. “This is so much better than driving.” Niall said when they pulled away and Harry shot him a look and Niall rolled his eyes.

“Oh my goodness, fine.”

So that was how Niall ended up running over his mailbox. Harry couldn’t stop laughing and Niall didn’t talk to him for an hour.

\--

The summer went by in a haze, they’d go to the beach some days and spend the whole time there till body parts started shriveling up or sometimes Niall would take him to the ice skating rink to try and get him to be at least partially good even though it never worked. It was a whirlwind and Harry didn’t even remember a time when he wasn’t with Niall when everything wasn’t about Niall and he guessed at one point he realized that Niall was going to leave for Switzerland again but it didn’t really register didn’t really hit him till it was August twenty third and he was laying down on his bed staring at the stain on his ceiling and Niall had left two days ago, had promised that he had called and that he’d write and they both had cried.

It was then lying down on his bed that Harry finally let it hurt enough for him to actually cry.

**Author's Note:**

> so how was that? shoot me a comment or kudo or something whatever :-)


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